Trump’s First 100 Days Signals Further Attacks on Immigrants and Communities of Color

Washington, DC -- Since entering office, the Trump administration has targeted women, immigrants, and communities of color, through policies rooted in blatant racism and misogyny. Yet, these are the same communities that have been rising up and leading the resistance.

The National Domestic Workers Alliance put out the following analysis of how the administration’s first 100 days have pushed the most vulnerable communities further down.

Immigrant and their families pushed into the shadows
The Trump administration has doubled down on criminalizing immigrants, particularly immigrant women, and is working hard to deploy mass deportation forces. State and local law enforcement agencies are being bullied to target community members for immigration enforcement. The administration seeks millions to fund a border wall that is destructive to our environment, foreign relations, and the needs of border communities, all while vowing to cut healthcare, childcare, and national nutrition programs. A proposed travel ban on refugees and Muslims, including Black immigrants from two North African countries, has sparked violence and discrimination. Together, these actions prevent immigrants from speaking out against workplace exploitation; discourage families from seeking health assistance; keep women from leaving abusive situations; and harm millions of children of immigrants who fear separation from their families.

White supremacy agenda in policymaking
Already, the Trump administration has begun efforts to reverse hard-won civil rights victories achieved through the sacrifice, pain, and mobilization of Black communities. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a notorious anti-civil rights crusader who was confirmed to head the Department of Justice, has already announced his intention to roll back consent decrees that try to address systematic anti-Black police violence and practices across the country. The administration continues setting priorities that further exploit and incarcerate Black communities, including through heavy use of mandatory minimum sentencing; enforcement of drug-possession laws; and expansion of prisons. The administration has challenged the right to dissent, and will likely over-use its enforcement powers to target those who resist, with special scrutiny for Black Muslim women; immigrants; and transgender or gender non-conforming individuals.

Attacks on basic living standards
The Trump administration's proposed “skinny budget” would drain resources from agencies that enforce essential civil, employment, and human rights laws. It would additionally force cuts to crucial and already underfunded programs, like access to affordable childcare, housing, food, legal services, and other basic necessities of life. Above all, these cuts would harm poor and working-class people across the country, and be particularly damaging to Black women, who make median wages that are $21,000 lower per year than the median wages of white men (as well as far lower than that of white women).

Divesting from care and abandoning our futures
The Trump administration is trying to cut the social investments that represent the best character of the nation, making every person in the U.S., especially children and the elderly, less safe and secure. They proposed deep cuts to nearly every program that ensures basic human needs, including healthcare access. By trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act and convert Medicaid into block grants, the administration and its Republican backers are on a path towards making insurance inequality worse, particularly for Latinx, Native, and Black communities. Families and low-income communities rely on programs like Medicaid to survive, including 33 million children, 10 million people with disabilities, and 6 million seniors.

Sanctioned violence, harassment, and disrespect at work
In the current climate under the Trump administration, the labor rights protecting low-wage workers and survivors of violence will continue to deteriorate. Employers seeking to prey upon the most vulnerable workers will only be emboldened, leading to even more dangerous conditions for domestic workers and other workers in low-wage sectors. As police are increasingly embroiled in immigration enforcement, fewer community members will seek help and safety from law enforcement. By condoning a culture where racism and hatred have been normalized, immigrant women and women of color will continue to be targeted with slurs and threats based on their race, gender, and immigration status.

National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is the nation’s leading voice for dignity and fairness for the millions of domestic workers in the United States, most of whom are immigrant women and women color. Founded in 2007, NDWA works for the respect, recognition, and inclusion in labor protections for domestic workers. It’s won legislation protecting domestic workers’ rights in seven states including New York, California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Oregon, Connecticut, and Illinois. The Alliance is powered by over 60 affiliate organizations of over 15,000 nannies, housekeepers, and caregivers for the elderly in 37 cities and 18 states.